Point Blank signs two 'chemical detective' thrillers

Oneworld’s crime imprint Point Blank has signed two "chemical detective" thrillers by Fiona Erskine.

Jenny Parrott, publishing director of Point Blank, bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Juliet Mushens at CaskieMushens for two thrillers by real-life chemical engineer Fiona Erskine.

The first novel has Dr Jaqueline Silver chasing down the baddies across Eastern Europe in a race against time to stop the transportation of illegal chemicals wreaking havoc. 

Parrott said: "I’ve been looking for a while for a woman-in-a-man’s-world thriller, and so was delighted to read Fiona’s debut. In real life Fiona is herself a chemical engineer, and so she knows all too well what it’s like to be a woman outnumbered and far from home."

Erskine said: "I’m thrilled to be joining Oneworld. I’ve wanted to tell Jaq Silver’s story for a while, and I hope readers enjoy her exploits as much as I’ve relished writing them".

Erskine studied for a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at Selwyn College, Cambridge University. After graduating, she returned home to Edinburgh and her first job with ICI. She continues to work as a professional engineer—now based in Teesside, England—but travelling constantly to Brazil, Russia, India and China. As a female engineer, she is often the lone representative of her sex in board meetings, cargo ships, night-time factories and offshore oil rigs.

The Chemical Detective will be published in spring 2019.  Ellis Moore at WF Howes acquired audio rights at auction.